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echo(1)

echo - display a line of text

ECHO(1) fish-shell ECHO(1)

echo - display a line of text

echo [OPTIONS] [STRING]

NOTE: This page documents the fish builtin echo. To see the documentation on any non-fish versions, use command man echo.

echo displays STRING of text.

The following options are available:

Do not output a newline.
Do not separate arguments with spaces.
Disable interpretation of backslash escapes (default).
Enable interpretation of backslash escapes.

Unlike other shells, this echo accepts -- to signal the end of the options.

If -e is used, the following sequences are recognized:

  • \ backslash
  • \a alert (BEL)
  • \b backspace
  • \c produce no further output
  • \e escape
  • \f form feed
  • \n new line
  • \r carriage return
  • \t horizontal tab
  • \v vertical tab
  • \0NNN byte with octal value NNN (1 to 3 digits)
  • \xHH byte with hexadecimal value HH (1 to 2 digits)

> echo 'Hello World'
Hello World
> echo -e 'Top\nBottom'
Top
Bottom
> echo -- -n
-n


•
the printf <> command, for more control over output formatting

fish-shell developers

October 15, 2026 4.9

fish 4.9.3-r3 · os · ingested 2026-10-16